Florida Statutes 501.001 – Florida Anti-Tampering Act
Current as of: 2024 | Check for updates
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(1) DEFINITIONS.–As used in this section:
For details, see Fla. Stat. § 775.082(3)(b), Fla. Stat. § 775.082(3)(d) and Fla. Stat. § 775.082(3)(e)
(a) “Consumer product” includes:
1. “Food,” which means:
a. Any article used for food or drink for humans or other animals;
b. Chewing gum; or
c. Any article intended for use as a component of any article specified in sub-subparagraph a. or sub-subparagraph b.
2. “Drug,” which means:
a. Any agent or product recognized in the official United States Pharmacopoeia, official Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States, or official National Formulary, or any supplement thereof;
b. Any agent or product intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, therapy, or prevention of disease in humans or other animals;
c. Any agent or product, other than food, intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of humans or other animals; or
d. Any agent or product intended for use as a component of any agent or product specified in sub-subparagraph a., sub-subparagraph b., or sub-subparagraph c., but does not include devices or their components, parts, or accessories.
3. “Device,” which means any instrument, apparatus, implement, machine, contrivance, implant, in vitro reagent, or other similar or related article, including any component, part, or accessory, which is:
a. Recognized in the official National Formulary or the United States Pharmacopoeia, or any supplement thereof;
b. Intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, therapy, or prevention of disease in humans or other animals; or
c. Intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of humans or other animals,
and which does not achieve any of its principal intended purposes through chemical action within or on the body of humans or other animals and is not dependent upon being metabolized for the achievement of any of its principal intended purposes.
4. “Cosmetic,” which means:
a. Any substance or product intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body or any part thereof for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance, but does not include soap; or
b. Any substance or product intended for use as a component of any substance or product specified in sub-subparagraph a.
Attorney's Note
Under the Florida Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:| Class | Prison | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Felony of the first degree | up to 30 years | up to $10,000 |
| Felony of the second degree | up to 15 years | up to $10,000 |
| Felony of the third degree | up to 5 years | up to $5,000 |
Terms Used In Florida Statutes 501.001
- Consumer: means an individual; child, by and through its parent or legal guardian; business; firm; association; joint venture; partnership; estate; trust; business trust; syndicate; fiduciary; corporation; any commercial entity, however denominated; or any other group or combination. See Florida Statutes 501.203
- Department: means the Department of Legal Affairs. See Florida Statutes 501.203
- Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
- person: includes individuals, children, firms, associations, joint adventures, partnerships, estates, trusts, business trusts, syndicates, fiduciaries, corporations, and all other groups or combinations. See Florida Statutes 1.01
- Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
(b) “Labeling” means all labels and other written, printed, or graphic matter upon any article, agent, product, or substance, or any of its containers or wrappers, or accompanying such article, agent, product, or substance.
(c) “Bodily injury” means:
1. A cut, abrasion, bruise, burn, or disfigurement;
2. Physical pain;
3. Illness;
4. Impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ, or mental faculty; or
5. Any other injury to the body, no matter how temporary.
(2) TAMPERING; PENALTIES.–
(a) Whoever, with reckless disregard for the risk that another person will be placed in danger of death or bodily injury, tampers with, or conspires or attempts to tamper with, any consumer product or the labeling of, or container for, any such product is guilty of a felony of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(b) Whoever, with intent to cause serious injury to the business of any person, tampers with any consumer product or renders materially false or misleading the labeling of, or container for, a consumer product is guilty of a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(c)1. Whoever knowingly communicates false information that a consumer product has been tampered with, if such tampering, had it occurred, would create a risk of death or bodily injury to another person, is guilty of a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
2. “Communicates false information” means to communicate information that is false, and that the communicator knows is false, under circumstances in which the information may reasonably be expected to be believed.
(d) Whoever knowingly threatens, under circumstances in which the threat may reasonably be expected to be believed, that he or she will commit or cause to be committed an act which would violate paragraph (a) is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.
(3)(a) In addition to any other agency which has authority to investigate and prosecute violations of this section, the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, under chapter 500, shall initiate actions necessary to safeguard the public welfare by identifying and removing suspect foods from consumer channels and shall coordinate such actions with other interested agencies if food tampering is identified, alleged, or suspected.
(b) In addition to any other agency which has authority to investigate and prosecute violations of this section, the Department of Health, under chapter 499, shall initiate actions necessary to safeguard the public welfare by identifying and removing suspect drugs, devices, or cosmetics from consumer channels if drug, device, or cosmetic tampering is identified, alleged, or suspected.